As a result, nearly 60 per cent of women complain that they are unhappy with the fit of clothes labelled as being their size.

Almost one in two British women fall into the rectangle category, where there is little difference between the bust, waist and hip measurements. Examples include actresses Keira Knightley, Cameron Diaz and Nicole Kidman.

The figures have been collated by clothing fit analysts at Alvanon, which develops size models used by designers and retailers.

Using 3D imaging technology to measure 50,000 women in the UK and Europe, it has produced ‘more accurate’ templates.

Right angle: One in two British women have rectangle body shapes just like Keira Knightley, left, and Cameron Diaz, right

Its ‘size 12’, for example, measures 35.4in on the bust, 28.3in on the waist, 35.4in around the high hip and 38.6in on the low hip.

Once applied in the high street, the proportion of women who find an excellent or adequate fit rises from 40 per cent to 63 per cent, Alvanon insists.

There are three other mainstream body types in the UK, a spokesman added.

One in three women is a ‘spoon’, where the hips are at least four inches wider than the bust. And slightly more than one in ten are ‘inverted triangles’, where the bust is at least four inches greater than the hips.

Nearly one in ten falls into the hourglass category, where the bust is at least 7in bigger than the waist while the hips are within 4in of the bust.

Christina Hendricks, who starred in hit U.S. TV series Mad Men, fits this shape. It is still seen as the ‘ideal’ form, and shops report strong sales of corsetry designed to achieve this.

Alvanon chief executive Janice Wang said: ‘People are frustrated and confused by the different sizes and fits they find on the high street.

‘The industry uses an hourglass figure, which has not changed for many years.

‘However, the reality is that the most prevalent shapes are the rectangle, which is not as curvy, the spoon and the inverted triangle. Brands need to adapt to reflect this reality.’

The research suggests there are some significant differences between British women and those on the continent.

Here, the average bust size is biggest - at 37.5in.

Dutch women, who are the tallest in Europe, have the thickest waists at an average of 32in. Britons rank second at 31.6in.

In terms of hips, the Germans and Dutch are most bottom heavy at 39.6in.

The British are at 38.8in, slightly above the Italians - who are smallest in every category - at 38.4in.

Germany's brewers are campaigning for the country's 500-year-old beer purity law be included along with French cuisine and Spanish flamenco to be included on a UNESCO list of cultural treasures.

A brewers' association argue the ancient law, known as Reinheitsgebot, protecting the purity and quality of German beer merits its place on a list generally associated with historic buildings.

"This almost 500-year-old law is one of the oldest food and drink regulations in the world," the German institute for pure beer said in a statement after its annual meeting.

"It has been the best guarantee for consumers for a very long time of an absolutely pure, tasty and high quality product. Beer is and remains Germany's national drink."

The law, enacted in 1516 by Wilhelm IV of Bavaria, limited the ingredients of beer to just malt, hops, yeast and water and no artificial additives. It threatened anybody "transgressing this ordinance" with the seizure of their beer and barrels "without fail".

As the law also applied to imported beer, foreign brewers eager to tap into the expanding German beer market had to adhere to its strict stipulations, and so the influence of the law spread across the continent.

In their effort to get Reinheitsgebot added to the UNESCO list the brewers have garnered cross-party support from the German parliament, and Peter Hahn, chief executive of the pure beer institute, reported the government would add its weight to the campaign.

But the brewers face a problem in that Germany has so far failed to ratify the UNESCO convention on the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which aims to protect and preserve an eclectic mix of living cultural traditions from across the world.

The beer association wants the government to ratify the convention so the law can take its place amongst other items on the list such as traditional Mexican food, Turkish oil wrestling and flamenco dancing.

The German UNESCO office in Bonn said it expected ratification within months.

Blackbeard's anchor recovered off US coast

An anchor from what's believed to be the wreck of the pirate Blackbeard's flagship has been raised from the ocean floor off the North Carolina coast.

The anchor has been in the ocean since 1718 Photo: AP Photo

7:57PM BST 27 May 2011

Archaeologists believe the anchor recovered on Friday is from the Queen Anne's Revenge, which sank in 1718. That was five months before Blackbeard was killed in a battle.

The artefact is the third-largest item at the shipwreck, outsized only by two other anchors.

Researchers retrieved the anchor from the shipwreck about 20 feet (6.1 meters) under water and were bringing it to shore. The work to retrieve it began last week. The anchor is about 11 feet (3.3 meters) long.

The recovery coincides with the release this month of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

History in a bra cup: How the booms and busts of bra sizes reflect the UK economy

It really is a case of 'boom or bust' according to new research claiming women favour bras which mirror the state of the economy.

Findings show that traditional financial cycles have been reflected by British women's preferred bra, from the subdued, subtle support offered in the impoverished post war years to the bra-burning liberalism of the sixties and early seventies.

Technological advances of the late sixties and seventies saw bras become more comfortable and fitted for those women who kept theirs on, while a craze for all things space age saw a surge in the popularity of cone-shaped bra cups.

Madonna took the conical bra shape to its natural conclusion in 1990 in this iconic Jean-Paul Gaultier corset

And today's women tend to opt for bigger bras than ever before.

Soaring obesity rates and a desire for women to make the most of their assets using 'chicken fillets' and other enhancements has prompted the introduction of ever-larger bras.

The 'History of the Great British Bust,' released today by department store Debenhams charts the history of bras in Britain over the past century and reveals an uncanny link between Britain's economic situation and women's preferred method of displaying their assets.

Former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's post-war claim that Brits had 'never had it so good' was supported by British bra shapes, which 'rose rapidly and jutted proudly out,' in a Marilyn Monroe-style, as woman gained independence and took control of their lives.

And the liberal politics of the swinging 60s was also seen in the nation's attitude to bras, with feminists burning theirs and leaving their chests as nature intended - reflecting the 'dominant liberal political agenda' of the time.

As the housing market grew in the 1990s, so did cup sizes like Geri Halliwell's in her Spice Girls days

Technological advances of the late 60s and 70s - such as the moon landing - became reflected in bra technology, with space-age conical cup shapes and new production methods making bras that were both fitted as well as comfortable to wear.

Soon after, the advent of power-dressing in the 80s saw cup-shapes 'rise to the occasion' becoming higher and narrower, in order to accommodate the sharp suits worn by female executives.

More recently, the Cool Britannia years of the 90s and popularity of Wonderbra's 'Hello Boys' advert saw women become keen to put their bras on show.

Breast enhancements also became more popular, prompting a surge in demand for larger bras.

Recent economic austerity has left women keen to 'make the most of their existing assets' with sharp rises in sales of products which enhance the bust temporarily, a cheaper alternative to surgical implants.

‘It is clear that Britain's history has been marked by a series of booms and busts in bra sizes in the same way that the economy has fluctuated.

‘Our figures show that we are currently at a peak in the cycle. Experts are speculating whether bust sizes will continue to climb, or whether there will be a sudden collapse in the trend.

Since the 21st century, women like Katie Price have inflated their assets with surgery - as inflation also increased in the earlier part of the century

‘It's a question which is vital to the entire UK economy. Whoever gets it right will win a big advantage over competitors in the fashion markets.’ He added: ‘It is now possible to chart Britain's economic record merely by keeping 'abreast' of the times.

‘This is history in a bra cup. Our research has revealed a direct correlation between the events of each decade and the position of a woman's bust.

‘Instead of spending months of research in dusty libraries, historians such as Simon Schama and David Starkey now only have to look at women's busts to gain an accurate insight into the mood of the nation.’

Two unmarked police cars clamped as surveillance officers sat INSIDE... who then arrested the clamper for obstruction

Police officers assigned the task of protecting the Queen during a Royal visit could be forgiven for focusing all their attention on their VIP guest.

But undercover security officers in Portsmouth should have perhaps been more aware of their immediate surroundings after two of their unmarked cars were clamped - with the officers still inside.

The incident happened after the Queen made an impromptu visit to the Hampshire port on Wednesday for a private lunch aboard a luxury yacht.

Oblivious: The Queen during her unannounced visit to Portsmouth where she had lunch with Sir Donald Gosling on his yacht the Leander

The officers were sat in their unmarked cars parked at the Gunwharf Quays marina retail complex - and were too slow to react when the clamper struck.

The clamper, Gareth Andrews, 37, from Fareham, was then arrested by the officers and charged with wilfully obstructing a police constable in the execution of his duty.

He was also charged with contravening the Private Security Industry Act by not displaying the appropriate licensing badge.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: 'The arrest followed an incident in which Mr Andrews clamped two unmarked police vehicles, preventing the officers - who were at Gunwharf as part of a security operation - from conducting their duties.

'The officers had not left the vehicles at the time they were clamped.'

Shoppers at Gunwharf Quays were taken by surprise when word spread that the Queen had arrived at the centre, and a small crowd gathered to greet her.

Out of action: The two unmarked police vehicles were clamped while officers sat behind the wheel (File photo)

It is understood the Queen had arranged to have lunch with NCP car park boss Sir Donald Gosling on board his yacht, Leander.

She arrived in Southsea by helicopter and was taken by a green Range Rover to Gunwharf Quays.

Wearing a pink coat and headscarf, the Queen waved to the crowds before boarding the 245ft yacht.

A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said that she could not confirm details of the visit as it was a private engagement.

Andrews will appear at South East Hampshire Magistrates' Court next Friday.

Search The world

About Me

So much news today is dull, depressing, controversial. It's almost impossible to watch news without hearing story after story of war, terror, killing, destruction, government, corruption, etc. I come across weird and wonderful news items as I scan the worlds press that put a smile on ones face or distract one from all the doom and gloom. These are the stories that will make up "The Quirky Globe". If you have any reactions to articles please leave a comment.... it may encourage debate. Pass this site on to your friends who are also fed up with mainstream news and become a follower. Enjoy and smile.